Review of Assistance to Colombia

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on U.S. aid to Colombia, focusing on: (1) the status of the Agency for International Development's (AID) administration of justice and population projects; (2) Colombia's economic and environmental reform efforts; and (3) Colombia's human rights record. GAO noted that: (1) the United States has provided Colombia with $691 million in assistance since 1988; (2) AID administration of justice projects are in various stages of implementation and AID population initiatives have achieved positive results within the past 20 years; (3) Colombia's economic reform efforts include abolishing import licensing, eliminating price controls, consolidating the tariff structure, freeing the exchange rate, and reducing the number of stateheld monopolies; (4) a private, nonprofit organization is developing a strategic plan, project selection criteria, and mechanisms to establish an endowment fund for select environmental initiatives; and (5) Colombia's human rights record has shown little improvement in recent years because groups such as the police and drug traffickers continue to commit violent crimes.